roserum wrote:If your wife is thinking about cloth diapers, she really ought to check out elimination communication (EC), too. http://www.tribalbaby.org/ECindex.html This used to be standard procedure for parents all over the world but was lost in most western countries when diaper companies convinced parents that they could just put their kids in diapers and wait for them to do their business.

I won't beat around the bush: cloth diapers are more work, but overall they are so much better then disposables, for more reasons than simply saving money or even the environment. If you learn to EC they aren't so much trouble and the better connection with your baby is very rewarding. If your wife has any questions, feel free to send me a message.

Hey cool. I am sort of doing EC. I have been kind of lazy about it though. I recommend reading the book Diaper Free Baby though. It is a great primer if you decide to go the EC route.

The nice thing about EC is you don't have to do it all the time. You can just do it a few hours a day and put the diaper back on when it gets too complicated for you. No matter how little you do it, your baby has that chance to pick up on his/her body cues and you have that extra chance to tune into your baby. I usually only do it for a few hours at a time, but I really enjoy it.

Using cloth diapers has saved us so much money. i have diapers i used on my 6 year old that I now use on my two year old. They save money, are better for the environment, and are healthier for baby.

Thanks for the info regarding the diapers you make. Interesting stuff.

It's difficult sometimes to troubleshoot what's wrong when washing. Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do, the problem doesn't go away. That's why I put the links I did in this thread and that's why I'm only now returning to cloth. Cloth diapers are trickier to use, but yes, when we used them, they were very much worth it in many, many ways.

I'm chiming in late as well, and I had just posted this on another topic earlier today. Thus is a great article and great website for info. NUTMEG did a great job informing you too! There are a few new options out there as well that I'm interesting in...http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/this-is ... h-diapers/

I've used cloth mostly for all my babies. I started 21 years ago! ( HOLY COW!)Anyway, they've come a long way even since just 10 yrs ago, or even the last 3 yrs. They are much more popular now.But I mainly started using them for cost, I was very poor in the beginning, but as the yrs rolled by I became convincedthey were far healthier for my babies. Nothing against the environment, we do need to be good stewards, but,my child's health and well being was the ultimate deciding factor.I learned to use them exclusively when my son was born 14 yrs ago as he would get a bloody and blistered bum after any amount of time in a disposable. So I became the cloth expert during that time in our lives. But, it's been a long timeso while I've been in bed trying to keep my chunks down ( sorry), I've been studying up once more and brushingup on the subject and new products. All I can say is WOW! It's so easy now! If you're thinking about it, watch this videoand read the comments and the just DO IT!Just my opinion.BTW the website link is a very good info site!

" That's what happens!"
Our family motto to reinforce the concept of personal responsibility.

Buffalo Girl...do you have any more info on morgellans? I don't really know what that is. I do harbor ill feelings towards GMO's in the food industry though and am sure there are carryovers into other types of crops as well. You've got me interested though!

One more question..... I've read that using fabric softener on cloth diapers is bad and makes them less absorbent. I personally use a homemade laundry detergent and use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Is the vinegar okay to use?

Thanks for all the good info! It really helped.

YES! Vinegar is the prefered softener of choice for most cloth diaperers.

She is making my cloth diapers as we speak (Okay, maybe not at 11pm) and I sat with her and looked through all her different styles, since she has some of everything. What we're getting are her favorite style, cloth diapers with separate PUL covers. We're getting a one-size fits half style (basically one size fits all but with a smaller one and a larger one for later). She uses snaps (Velco gets nasty after a while) and cotton/flannel/terry. Mine will actually be towel outer layers (inside the water-proof PUL covers) with cotton inner layers. They'r made with the main diaper shape, fitted at the legs and snapping in the front (the older style can snap on the sides and bve used like pull-ups). They have two "pads" inside for extra absorbency that are connected by snaps (the separationvia flaps helps them to dry faster, the pads add absorbancy without all-around bulk, and the snaps keep them from tearing or seems ripping in dryers). If you want to see what it actually looks like, there are some pictures here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?li ... d=24141290

I didn't read through every post, but she did tell me that you need to use a lot less detergent (and die/perfume free etc) so as not to saturate the fabrics --it'll build up. And you really shouldn't use chemical dryer products (they make non-chemical ones) becasue they will actually cause the stench someone above was talking about as it creates a chemical residue that for cloth diapers has a very negative effect on the nose!

Let me know if you have any other questions. I know a fair deal about how she does it having watched her for years, but she's just converted me so I also am in the "waiting on my order" stage. Plus I can give you her contact info and let you ask her yourself!

Well, now that I've used cloth diapers (a few varieties also) for the past 8 months or so, I can respond better to many of the questions.

SMELL- You need to use FREE & CLEAR (or homemade) detergent, no dryer sheets, no fabric softener, etc. Even on your other clothing. It will leave a film on your diapers and THAT is what causes the smell. And dryer sheets, etc on your other clothing will "infect" your dryer, so-to-speak, and cause the same problems. Smell in a house can also be caused by soaking wet diapers routinely...as in, having a wet collection bucket instead of a dry one for the dirty diapers before washing.

Vinegar- It is used as a fabric stripper (to get the above film off the diapers) and will throw off the PH of the diapers if used too frequently. If you are using PUL you should definitely only use it when you need to strip the fabric, not routinely, or it will cause unwanted wear and degrade the fabric's waterproofing layer.

Spraying - All my other cloth diaper friends swear you need a sprayer like this one: http://www.pottypail.com/learn.php which can be made yourself. I actually bought a hand-held bidet from Sanicare for a dual-purpose bidet, but in the days before it's arrival I found it wasn't needed at all. Pellets and clumps just fall right off into the toilet. Softer or gooey-er ones fall of (mostly) when turned inside out and shaken. Or I'll use one end of the diaper to gently smear the majority of the goo off. My friends all can't imagine that, but the washers (I've used both a front-load and older top load) have never had a problem with removing anything left over. Ever.

Soaking - If it is done as a pre-wash, great, but soaking the diapers as a means of dirty diaper collection will cause more smell and likely stink up the house.

Wipes - We are lazy and use the kirkland Signature brand wipes from Costco. They are a natural fiber so we can wash the wipes with the diapers and not have to worry about it. They make great fire-starters later! But, my friend did make me some cloth wipes that we use as tissues! She uses the thinner/softer terry from baby washcloths and the like and serges them together with reused velour on the other side. So the terry is the abrasive side and the velour is the "wipe clean" side. She gets all kinds of fun colors and designs by upcycling. Same goes with her wool covers, sleepsacks, and longies. I've been buying wool sweaters at garage sales lately...If our off-grid plans work out, I'll be making the switch to wool somewhat at least.

Collecting/containers --We use a simple 5 gallon bucket, no lid, in the bathroom. When a diaper is dirty or wet, we take it to the bucket and drop it in. We use pocket diapers now with the 3 boys being bigger, so we also pull out the inserts at that time. This allows us to simply drop/toss them in the washer and not have to worry about whether we're going to get poo on our hands from other diapers, etc. The bucket is dry. The bucket will smell, depending on how long you wait between washes (not that the entire thing will smell nasty, but the bucket itself will get some wet smell to it), and I simply put some vinegar and hot water to soak in the bucket in the bath tub (empty bucket) after I've started the load of diapers.

Washing - We use free and clear detergent (Tide's is STILL NOT a good option, has smell to it AND makes my kids break out), wash them on hot, and try to do an extra rinse. You also use THE SMALLEST amount of soap necessary to actually clean the diapers --maybe 1/10th the usual detergent? Otherwise, if you wash in the full amount or even half, you'll end up with soap residue on your diapers and they'll smell. If your kids wet their diapers and it smells nasty instead of simply wet without much smell (unless you've left them to sit in it for hours), then you've got a residue problem. Pretty easy to tell. We can smell them down the church pew when there's film on them, can't smell them on your lap if there isn't. Use vinegar and a couple of washes on hot WITHOUT detergent/soap if you have that problem. Front-loading washers are A#1 for cloth diapers, they'll cut the wear on the diapers drastically and extend their life.

Don't go the pre-fold, vinyl cover route, there are SO many different, better, kinds of diapers! We've just recently (okay, that was November, I guess?) bought 40 diapers from a seller on ebay (goodseller_003 I'd use the "Make Offer" option.) that my friends here suggested and had bought from. SUCH a good price (under $5/diaper including shipping and inserts, though it takes a good 3-4 weeks to arrive) and also a good quality. You do have to get more inserts or make your own (prefolds, hand towels, flannel, anything you want, really) to supplement them for the bigger guys (12 months and up, I'd suggest). We bought some microfiber car washing towels (same material as the inserts) and fold them up and add them in. Or you can just order more inserts from them. They are nice diapers because they are PUL (waterproof fabric that breathes, NOT vinyl) pocket-diapers and they are totally adjustable, so by means of their snaps, they fit my 6 month old (when we first bought them) all the way up to my 3 1/2 year old. We ordered bulk and got 20 diapers and their inserts for under $100, which is a good price. My friends swear by the minky fabric ones, which I don't have (they are really fuzzy).

Fleece can be used as a waterproof layer as well, though if you leave them wet with pressure it will leak...like in a car seat for an hour while wet.

I've found cloth diapers are actually MUCH easier than disposables and work twice as well at controlling leaks. I didn't know the last part until we switched to disposables while on a trip --leaks ALL THE TIME! You will need a wet-bag (PUL is again what I'd suggest) for the dirty/wet diapers on the go. I have 3 boys using 40 diapers and do a load of diapers a day. Seriously, not much more work! That's the extent of it. One load of laundry a day and it has saved us HUNDREDS, maybe thousands by now? We made up the cost of the diapers within the first two months, and my electric bill didn't change more than maybe $20/month for a load a day, if that. We were spending way more than that on diapers.

Good info! You do know not to put micro fiber directly next to babies skin? It pulls all the moister and natural oils out of them and can really irritate. You can use a bio liner on top if you want and they are cool too because you can just flip them into the toilet if soiled and flush. If not soiled they can go right on the compost heap. GREAT idea those liners! There are many brands, shapes, materials and sizes of these liners. Some can even make it through several washes and still be used!Go to Green Mountain diapers for full reviews on several kinds. Sounds like your up to speed and cruisin! Awesome!

I just bought some AIO Kawaii diapers and I totally recommend them. They only cost $5 - 7 a piece which is a super steal for an AIO. Also, for detergent, I just use equal parts Borax and Oxiclean free, just a tiny bit each load. It's super easy, cheap and does a great job. I didn't know you weren't supposed to do a vinegar rinse every time though. I also add baking soda to each load so would that counteract the effects of the vinegar? Should I not be adding baking soda and vinegar to each load?

The purpose of mortality is not to conquer Babylon, but to build Zion.

chicafoom wrote: Should I not be adding baking soda and vinegar to each load?

Use enough of each and you could have a real science experiment in your laundry room!!!

Haha, fair enough...I should explain I start with a half cup of baking soda in with the detergent and then do an extra rinse at the end with a half cup of vinegar, per instructions I read a long time ago when I started the cloth diaper journey. So, anyway, I don't mix the two at once. That would make for some interesting interactions. Now I am wondering if I am aging my diapers too quickly or at least performing overkill on the laundering.

The purpose of mortality is not to conquer Babylon, but to build Zion.

Ok people, I need some info. I really liked Green mountain diapers for the great info, but, they seem to not love the new hemp and/or organic bamboo products. They don't come out and say it but, they elude to the bamboo not being a natural fiber and be partial synthetic. Being that it's mostly used in diapers and liners or pods and next to babies skin, I can see the concern. Has anybody researched this and/or have experience with these new ( to me) diaper materials? I'm trying to decide ahead of time because lots of stores have diaper registries and I've already had several offers to throw us a baby shower, (blush) I've never been comfortable with registering anything for weddings or showers or the like. It feels like extortion.Besides, I still have all my really nice baby stuff from our last babies,because my nieces liked it so much they wanted it saved for them and they haven't had kids yet! We don't really need anything, but it would be nice if people really want to do something for us, to be able to direct them to cloth...it kind of spreads the good word, subtly Anyway, I do need advising on those materials and opinions. We are all good that giving those. Let's have em!

sixgunsue -- The microfiber is the insert for AIO pocket diapers, meaning it isn't against the skin but inside the "pocket" of the diaper. I've never had a problem getting anything off any of my diapers, so while I thought liners were a great idea when I was thinking about switching to cloth, they seem like a real waste of time and money after having actually used cloth diapers.

Chicafoom -- You know, I might be wrong about degrading the fabric...just something in the back of my mind that I can't remember where it came from. My cloth diaper guru friend said that it can throw off the PH balance of the diapers.

And to the hemp/bamboo question, I have NO IDEA. But, I do know my "natural fibers" friends (such as the guru above) that can tell what a fabric is by feeling it and know more than I, use them. They study those things, I study others...and I trust their judgement. I don't think it is as big a deal, really, but I do believe that natural is better.

Catherine

[ETA: Sorry, ChelC, wrong C name!]

Last edited by bbrown on Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Never used cloth diapers. I'm just too lazy for it, and that's the truth. Plus I have horrible memories of the smell from the wet cloth diaper pail at a house where I babysat, and I'm not sure I'm mature enough to get over it.

I have heard good things from people who do cloth diapers about Fuzzi Bunz. I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled. I'll look for a link.

"We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can... extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find."-Pres. Uchtdorf

bbrown wrote:sixgunsue -- The microfiber is the insert for AIO pocket diapers, meaning it isn't against the skin but inside the "pocket" of the diaper. I've never had a problem getting anything off any of my diapers, so while I thought liners were a great idea when I was thinking about switching to cloth, they seem like a real waste of time and money after having actually used cloth diapers.

Chicafoom -- You know, I might be wrong about degrading the fabric...just something in the back of my mind that I can't remember where it came from. My cloth diaper guru friend said that it can throw off the PH balance of the diapers.

And to the hemp/bamboo question, I have NO IDEA. But, I do know my "natural fibers" friends (such as the guru above) that can tell what a fabric is by feeling it and know more than I, use them. They study those things, I study others...and I trust their judgement. I don't think it is as big a deal, really, but I do believe that natural is better.

Catherine

[ETA: Sorry, ChelC, wrong C name!]

Got it bbrown, thanks, and Chel, it's not bad at all they way we do things now. I mostly use a dry pail. Fuzzibunz are nice but, yes, expensive. There are others like them that are a bit cheaper, but I feel it's good to have several of those types around for the diapering impaired. I will mostly use flats/prefolds and good covers. It's really very easy if you have dependable dipes and covers. Check out Charley Bananas ...man they are sooo soft and softbums...very similar, highly adjustable for sizes, saving $$ and for inserts you can use whatever you want and don't have to stuff/ unstuff them. I believe they're called AI2's (All in 2's) I also saw someone above with a link to the diapers they made, very nice! I think it was Loucasiousmama, not sure tho. They are not much harder the disposables and the thing that really freaked me out about "sposies" is that gel. There is concern now that it has had (is having) an effect on the genital and reproductive health of the children who had it wrapped around them for yrs. I wouldn't be surprised. I have used them in the passed but that gel stuff always did freak me out. P.S. Diva Cup..look into them ladies. (did we already cover that?)

I buy mine off ebay now (from China) for $5/diaper including shipping. So I pay about $100 for a bundle of 20 AIO pocket diapers with inserts. As my kids (and their bladders) got bigger I did buy extra insterts. If you want to know the seller send me a PM... They're SO nice and easy and adjust both by length and width. I have 3 boys in diapers and 40 diapers total and do one load of diapers a day. They are pretty darn easy and they leak WAY less than the disposables did when we switched back for our trip. I didn't think it would be that drastic of a difference and was shocked at how awful the disposables were! I think the ones I have would fit anywhere from about a (guessing on this one since my youngest was 6 months at that time...under 20lbs for sure) 4 month old to a 3 1/2 year old. So we spent $200 total on our diapers for 3 kids. We made that cost up in maybe a month or two tops, and there really wasn't any noticeable difference in our electric bill even with a load a day. So, it is better for the environment (I'm not that crunchy, but I do believe in stewardship), way better on your pocketbook, considerably more self-sufficient, and healthier for you kiddo.

Yes, I too believe in good stewardship not earth worship. However I may be a little crunchy when it comes to stuff from Chinaand my kids. They have had such a bad recent history of selling us toxic stuff. But I'm sensible enough to look into a possible bargain. I have seen them on Ebay and been very curious. I wonder if you can also use them as AI 2's so you can have organic cotton or hemp next to babies skin. Please pm me the info and I'll take another look. Thanks bb !

P.S. I totally understand where you are at with the diapers and the work and cost. I too had 3 in dipes once upon a time...sssshudderrr. It will be so nice to have only one little baby and many older kids helping! YEY!

Ammonia = Funkiness...and burnI think front loaders are good for some things but not others..OK, after doing some research on washing dipes, I found some interesting info.First, front loaders aren't always the best for washing things. I've even noticed with my towels. It depends on how hot your water gets and how much water you can get into a soak. I've been reading on All About Cloth Diapers a discussion for when diapers get "the Funk"They get ammonia residue really bad and it can cause burns on baby. The general consensus wasit depends on what kind of detergent you have, what material your dipes are made of and how well you are able to soakthem. Many, many women wished they had a top loader because they sometimes need to soak them to de ammonia their dipes and it takes many rinses and washes in a front loader to get it out, sometimes unsuccessfully. This hardly saves water or money.It often comes back in a few weeks because of the lack of volume of water in the FL.Also many people find that the synthetic materials/pads/inserts hold onto the smells moreso than cotton or bamboo, etc.I happen to finally have a FL now, after 15 yrs of marriage and 6 kids! However we kept our old TL in the basement and it will be perfect for those overnight soaks as often times I would come down to change over a load only to find it never drained and spun. How convenient!!! I won't have to come down and turn it off to soak!Anyway here is the link for anyone who is having funkiness and wants to read the discussion ...http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/does-fu ... ally-work/and more info....http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/category/washing/

Of course, I had one (belt went out --came with our house) and I had less problem with the front load than with the top-load simply because I could automatically set it to do an extra rinse at the end and my older (free) top-load doesn't have that option. Also, high-efficiency/low-water washers already need something like 1/10th the soap, then you cut that by 1/10th (or whatever) for the diapers and most people are probably WAY overdoing it with their soap and causing half the residue problem. Just my 2 cents...

Of course, I had one (belt went out --came with our house) and I had less problem with the front load than with the top-load simply because I could automatically set it to do an extra rinse at the end and my older (free) top-load doesn't have that option. Also, high-efficiency/low-water washers already need something like 1/10th the soap, then you cut that by 1/10th (or whatever) for the diapers and most people are probably WAY overdoing it with their soap and causing half the residue problem. Just my 2 cents...

Well for soaking, it's a problem. I have a hard time bleaching stuff and often have to use my tub. Maybe I haven't mastered all my FL settings yet, but I have noticed adding bleach is a fruitless exercise. "most people are probably WAY overdoing it with their soap and causing half the residue problem."I think you're probably right on that one. I cannot believe how much detergent people use, I've always used 1/2 or less than the recommended and since I've learned how toxic it is in the last 5 yrs or so, I really cut back. I was using Shaklee for a while, (not selling!) but found Country Save HE powder to work fine for 1/2 the price and zero residue. People don't realize how toxins from household products leach right through our skin, especially for little babies. Ick!

I have found Napisan to be excellent. I have used cloth nappies but did not have many as I was diligent in holding baby on a soft small pot when waking, when changing nappy, after a feed, and whenever the "look" of wanting to was obvious. Babies do not choose to relieve themselves into a nappy... if given the choice of sitting on a pot and keeping their nappy dry they will do so.

LDSFreedomForum.com does not necessarily agree with all content on this forum. This is not an official site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The views and content on this site reflect only the opinions and teachings of the authors of the respective content contained herein.